Businessweek Archives

Online Debris

May 28, 1995

Technology & You: BULLETIN BOARD: SOFTWARE

ONLINE DEBRIS

Some programs, like children, should learn to clean up after themselves. The worst offenders are programs downloaded from online services. For example, America Online subscribers can download a new "preview" version of AOL Windows software that gives you access to the World Wide Web through a nifty browser. But when the program finishes installing itself, it leaves behind a nearly 2-megabyte file called 25instal.exe that has no further use. A better-designed installation routine would at least inform you that the file could be erased safely.BY STEPHEN H. WILDSTROM